In surgery, it is possible to contaminate an acetabular shell with bio matter, soft tissue, and fatty deposits prior to and during impaction. Each time an acetabular cup is inserted into a body cavity, soft tissues and bio matter can build up on portions of the acetabular cup and become stuck. If these materials gather onto or bind to a porous outer coating of the cup, it could adversely affect bone in-growth and initial “bite” and “fixation”. If these materials gather on a smooth inner surface of the cup, it could adversely affect subsequent taper-locking between the cup and a liner. Connections between acetabular cups and liners are generally designed with tight tolerances to form a tight fit. Bio-matter can compromise such a tight fit. The devices aim to provide a novel and unique apparatus and method of preserving the porosity of an acetabular cup during insertion into a body cavity.
US 2007/100464 AA titled “Orthopaedic implant sleeve and method” and assigned to Zimmer discloses a debris-preventing device for use with modular-style necks and femoral stems. This is shown in FIG. 1. This reference does not disclose use with acetabular cups, and the sheaths shown in this reference teach away from providing a means for acetabular cup penetration as the disclosure is used to protect surfaces proximal to the wound.
Other related art teaches soft tissue protection devices which may be placed over a wound or within a wound. These devices are placed onto or into the wound prior to advancement of a medical device. Such a device only protects the soft tissue covered by the device from damage.